Lost.

Chapter 3: Ignorance.

As soon as the sun had completely set, I ushered the boys out of the Music House, or whatever you want to call it since we haven’t given it a permanent name yet. One of the jocks from the coffee shop was waiting for us by the Bus Stop. We then took the bus to Franklin High- where a guy waiting for us there, then from there we trekked deep inside the forest.

We heard the music and smelled the alcohol before we even reached the clearing.

It was a clearing by the river; I didn’t even know that there was a river in this town. Someone had cut off the biggest tree branches and stacked them up so they formed a tent. Then, by the looks of it, they doused it in gasoline and threw a match in.

There were logs surrounding it, and coolers stationed at every branch. Someone had managed to drive their truck in and they were blasting music from cheap speakers and sucky turntables.

I was right. It’s more of a date than a dare.

The guys walked over to a cooler that had a bunch of girls sitting on it. I rolled my eyes, boys.

The jock I had poked in the chest walked up to me, “Hello there girlie-”

“It’s Lenora.” I immediately corrected him.

“Whatever. I didn’t think you’d even come.” He smirked.

I had to admit; by bonfire light this guy looked decently hot.

“I never back down.” I said adding a smirk of my own.

“A fighter, I like that.” Like I care what you like, “I see you left your military shoes behind”, He looked down to see my converse, “planning on running?”

I was wearing a simple black t-shirt and some regular jeans, and an old brown Roxy pull over sweater that fit snugly- Hardly running appropriate clothes.

“Never.” I said smiling.

“At least someone has balls from Monroe High.”

I looked at him. Was he stupid? “Didn’t you hear me earlier? We just moved here.”

“So? That doesn’t mean you didn’t enroll at Monroe.”

That doesn’t mean I did enroll at Monroe High. He really is an idiot.

I sighed and rolled my eyes, “I’ve graduated already, Jockstrap.”

I saw his eyes open wide, “This should be fun then.” He smirked looking me up and down.

Pig.

Pervert.

Hormone controlled teenager.

Asshole.

He didn’t even notice I called him “jockstrap.” What a moron.

“What are the conditions to this dare then?” I asked, losing my patience with this guy. Do I even know his name? ... Do I even care what his name is? No I don’t, he’s an asshole and he should be content with me calling him “jockstrap”.

“When the moon reaches its highest peak, this dare begins.”

“How the hell am I supposed to know when or where that will be?” I said titling my head to the side a bit.

He sighed, making me feel stupid, “ Rumor has it that at midnight, when the moon is up high, fog rolls in and the creatures of the night come out.”

“Creatures of the night? Like what?” I asked genuinely intrigued.

“No one’s ever lived to tell the tale... At least they’ve never stayed until the stroke of midnight.

If you listen closely you can hear the town halls bell. You’re task is to see if you or your boys don’t chicken out before the last bell has rung.” He smirked.

“Easy enough dare.” I say nonchalantly. It didn’t freak him out that I was cool about this dare. It didn’t scare me though because if you’re nervous or something, it means that you care. The last thing I want to do is care about a complete jackass’s dare. That would just be ridiculous.

Ridiculous of me to want to care about anyone else, besides me and my boys, after everything that I’ve been through; if I started to care right now, then all that struggling to get here, to this freaking town and finding the most perfect home, would all have been for nothing. Nothing.

I will not let the shit hit the fan again.

I smiled up at him, “Are your boys ready to do this thing?”

He turned around, looking at his friends hanging out by the truck that was blasting music, he nodded, “Yeah. And yours?”

“Most Definitely.”

“Let’s do this then.” Jockstrap said sticking out his hand for me to shake on it.

I took it, “We never back down, jockstrap.” I smirked and walked away.

My boys were busy flirting with some girls, and I didn’t want to mess with their ‘mojo’ , so I went over to a log and sat down next to a small girl in a bright red sweater, who was sipping from a cup.

I felt her tense up when I sat down next to her. I rolled my eyes, the typical reaction I get from most people. But then she did something no one has ever really done.

She turned and smiled at me, and she relaxed her body, “Hi, my names Massie.” She stuck out her hand.

She had a small, curvy body, compared to my skinny stick body. Damn her! she had brown wavy hair, light brown eyes, and a really bright smile. She seemed decent enough.

I smiled back at her, “ I’m Lenora, nice to meet you” I shook her hand.

“You have the prettiest eyes!” she suddenly blurted out. I blinked, stunned for a second. Well this that was random.

“What? Oh, thanks.” I managed to say as I faced forward to the bonfire. She welcomed me and continued to sip her drink. Not wanting to scare her away, I thought up of another question.

“Why are you here?” I asked, but it came out to be more demanding than I wanted it to be.

It didn’t faze her, “someone I know lives close to here, and he heard about this thing so I just came.” She smiled at me, again.

“Oh, a boyfriend?” I asked extending the word ‘boyfriend’ out to tease her.

Even in the flickering light I saw her blush, “What? Oh- just a friend.”

A low growling came from the forest behind us.

I whipped around, “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“Something growled. Like... like a wolf!”I said, turning back to face her.

She was still smiling, “You must be paranoid or something.” She said and giggled a bit. Well it sounded more like a chuckle than a giggle.

“Maybe I am. I’m new to this town that could be a reason why.”

“Oh you are? No wonder you didn’t seem familiar, I just thought you went to another High
School. You’re gonna love it here.”

I rolled my eyes, “Look. Just because I moved here doesn’t mean I go to Monroe, heck! I’ve already-”

“Hold on! I never said you went to Monroe.”

“You didn’t?”

“No, besides I would know if you did” she leaned in closer to me, with her cup covering her mouth, she whispered into my ear, “because I go to Monroe but SHHH!”

I laughed really loudly.

She began to fidget, “Shh! don’t make it so obvious!” she whispered and smacked my shoulder

She leaned in and whispered, “Franklin kids are BRUTAL.” But I only kept laughing,
drawing some unwanted attention.

“I’ve learned so first hand.” I muttered, winding down from my laughing fit.

“Hmm?” she hummed as she sipped her drink.

“You know. This high school rivalry really is blown out of proportions.” I said wiping a tear from my eye.

“That maybe so. But better safe than sorry, right?”

“I guess so”

“You know, I don’t even remember why we’re enemies in the first place. We’re like the only public high schools in this entire town. And we’re both small, student body wise.”

I laughed quietly, “ I wouldn’t know what you mean, I came from the city side were the graduating class had at least 2,000 students.”

I saw her mouth drop wide open, “Incredible!”

I laughed out loud this time, I think I just blew her little mind.

We continued to talk that for a while.

I suggested multiple times for us to go and find a new spot, somewhere far away from the entrance of the forest. Because it was giving me the chills, and a whole lot of the creeps, but she kept saying no that she was happy on our little log.

And I slowly go to know her, like about how her brother just died. How her mother in the hospital or something, and also how she has to stay with her brothers old best friend, “ You know, I just bought a place over in town and you’re always welcome to stay there.”

She looked at me dumbfounded.

“Yeah, I know that I’m a stranger. Stranger Danger.” I said in a weird voice andwaving my arms around, “ but you’re always welcome!”

“Oh- You seem nice though, so th-”

A distant but loud chime cut her off. The music stopped.

The Second chime rung. And people began to murmur amongst themselves.

The Third chime. I looked at Massie and she seemed just as confused as I was.
I looked for jockstrap, wherever he was.

The Fourth chime was heard. And that’s when the fog began to roll in. Quickly. I found jockstrap, and his glance caught mine, “Now’s the time!” he shouted at me.

The Fifth Chime. “What’s he talking about?” Massie asked me. The fog had already began to engulf our feet.

“Creatures of the Night.” I replied.

The Sixth chime. She immediately seemed to understand. Some people had began to run back to town. My boys weren’t in sight.

The Seventh chime. “Giant Wolves.” She muttered. I just looked at her, was she crazy or something?

Eighth Chime. I stared at her for a bit more, “What?”

The Ninth Chime. “They’re viscous. I was chased by one yesterday and-”
She was cut off by a loud howling that sounded very close, her eyes went wide, “Shit.”

A giant freaking wolf jumped over the truck and knocked over the keg which quickly put out the bone fire from all the sand it had sen flying, a guy fell and was caught in front of it- the wolf was snapping at him. Everyone began frantically running. It seemed to be looking our way, and it sauntered towards us.

The Tenth chime. “Run!” I grabbed her hand and pulled her off the log but only succeeded in knocking us to the floor sending both our cups flying into the air.

Just then a giant dark brown wolf jumped over my head. I could see every strand of its fur above my head seconds before it landed before us, covering us from the other wolf.

Another wolf came out, this one was bigger, blacker, and fluffier and it stood right in front of me. I felt its eyes on me. And I wanted to touch it soo badly. I think the wolf would’ve let me too because it was leaning towards me.

But just then the wolf that knocked down the keg growled loudly, and the black wolf in front of me howled softly. Like calling to someone.

Just then more wolfs came from the brown wolfs direction.

“Oh. Shit”

The Eleventh chime.

Jockstrap appeared before me, and hauled me up. I was still holding onto Massie so she got up too, Jockstrap began running pulling us along, “Are you fucking mental?! You don’t just sit there!”

We were running when Massie tripped and she slipped from my hand. I tugged away from Jockstrap and ran back to pick her up.

“Idiot!” he yelled and was running back to get me when a wolf jumped out and snapped at him. Massie saw the wolf and immediately began to cry, “No! No! No!” the wolf was walked towards us.

“I got him!” Jockstrap shouted and threw a rock at the wolfs head, “just get to town. I’ll be there!” the wolf turned around and growled loudly at him, but Jockstrap was already up a tree throwing pine cones at him. He then jumped to another branch and the wolf chased after him.

The Twelfth chime. “Lets go” I picked up Massie began running again. I kept tripping over the undergrowth of the forest. Not to mention that this is my first time being in a fucking forest.

Where are the boys?

I could still hear Massie softly crying behind me. I heard a wolf howl far behind us. I turned one way and then turned the other.

We’re fucking lost.